Baked pasta with triple cheese

When it comes to macaroni and cheese, it's hard to beat this 25-year-old recipe Mary Ann Evans of Chicago shared with Swap Shop readers. Her yummy meatless dish can be cut into squares and frozen to re-heat for quick weeknight meals. Of course, leftovers might be an impossibility given how fabulous this is.

MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS

16 ounces tri-colored rotini

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons flour

Salt and pepper to taste

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2?253-222?cups milk

½ cup cream cheese (room temperature), cut into cubes

1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chilies, undrained

1½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese

½ cup grated Parmigiano- Reggiano cheese

1 cup parsley

Paprika, sufficient to dust top of casserole

Cook rotini according to package directions; drain. Melt butter in a saucepan; stir in flour, and cook until absorbed. Stir in salt and pepper. Stir in mustard; remove from heat. Gradually whisk in 2 cups of milk. Return to heat and add cream cheese cubes. Cook until melted, smooth and thickened, stirring frequently. Set off heat.

Stir green chilies into sauce. Sauce will thicken more upon sitting; add additional ?253-222? cup milk.

Grease 9-by-12-inch baking pan with Pam. Layer half of rotini, half of sauce and half of shredded cheddar cheese. Sprinkle with half of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and parsley. Repeat layers; dust top with paprika. Cover loosely with aluminum foil. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes more.

Mary Ann Evans

Nutrition facts per serving: 479 calories, 21 g fat, 13 g saturated fat, 64 mg cholesterol, 51 g carbohydrates, 19 g protein, 413 mg sodium, 2 g fiber